Holiday time opens a world of imagination, joy, and learning opportunities for the kids you coach.  Designing a holiday camp or programme that captures the essence of the season you are in, while engaging young coachees is a great way to enrich their time off from school and maximise your reach in your community.

Here's how you can organise an unforgettable and educational skills based holiday camp or programme that kids will be thrilled to attend. 

1. Select a Captivating Theme

Kick off your planning by choosing a theme that embodies the holiday spirit. Themes like "Enchanted Winter Wonderland," "Holiday Heroes and Legends," or "The Spirit of Giving" can ignite children's curiosity and excitement. A well-chosen theme provides a foundation for a cohesive and immersive experience.

2. Design Dynamic Activities

With your theme in place, curate a list of dynamic activities that blend Play Based Coaching® strategies with neuroscience education. Activities can range from...

In the whirlwind of coaching, mentoring, and guiding the young minds of today, it's easy for for you as a Kids Life Coach to forget a crucial element in the equation of nurturing growth: taking a moment to catch your own breath. The role of a Kids Life Coach is profoundly rewarding, yet as you know, it can also be undeniably demanding. Amidst the hustle of administration, marketing, planning coaching sessions, engaging with children, and striving to make a difference, the importance of pausing, reflecting, and recharging cannot be overstated.

Pausing is not merely a break in your daily actions; it's creating an intentional space for your own reflection, growth, and rejuvenation. For you as a Kids Life Coach, these moments of pause are vital. They offer an opportunity to reflect on the impact of your work, reassess strategies, and renew your commitment to the children you guide. This reflective practice not only enhances your effectiveness but also safeguards your wellbeing.

Catching...

What equates to a difficult child? Is this a child who doesn't listen? Always argues? Doesn't follow the rules? Lies? Steals? Takes drugs and drinks alcohol? Plays truant and doesn't perform well at school?

No matter how we look at it, "difficult" has negative connotations and no matter the "difficulty" facing the child you are coaching, it isn't about what is going wrong, but about what you can do to help!

In my experience, coaching children, especially those who present challenges, needs more than just my patience and determination. It calls for me to get creative and resourceful. Here are some strategies I use to help unlock the potential in every child I coach, no matter the obstacles they are facing.

1. Embrace Flexibility: Children who are labeled as "difficult" often struggle with rigid structures. Flexibility in your approach allows you to tailor your coaching methods to fit the child's unique needs and learning style. This might mean adjusting your expectations or finding...

At Kids Life Studio®, we're all about making things feel personal, warm, and welcoming from the very start. That's why we've crafted a friendly and systematic 10-Step process to take new families through our Play Based Coaching programme. Our special approach helps us ensure that every child and their family feel supported throughout their journey with us, from the first hello to celebrating their achievements and beyond.

I would say that our 10-Step process is like building a cozy, sturdy house together. We start by laying down a strong foundation for our coaching relationship, making sure we understand every child's unique needs and dreams. This way, we can plan, track, and cheer on progress, aiming for real, meaningful growth that we can see and celebrate together.

These steps are our secret sauce to making sure nothing slips through the cracks. They help us keep everything running smoothly, especially the behind-the-scenes stuff, so we can focus on what really matters...

In a world that often emphasizes safety and security, the concept of encouraging children to take risks might seem counterintuitive. However, at Kids Life Studio®, we believe that learning to navigate risks is a crucial part of a child's development. Risk-taking, when supported in a healthy and balanced way, can foster resilience, creativity, and independence in children, preparing them for the challenges of adulthood.

First and foremost, it's essential to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy risks. Healthy risks push children slightly out of their comfort zones in a controlled environment, allowing them to explore their capabilities and limits. These can range from trying a new sport, engaging in public speaking, or solving a complex problem without immediate assistance. Unhealthy risks, on the other hand, can endanger physical or emotional well-being and should always be avoided.

As Kids Life Coaches, our role is not to shield children from every potential hazard but to...

People buy for a variety of reasons, especially when it comes to products and services related to family and parenting, like those you offer as a Kids Life Coach. Understanding these reasons can help you tailor your content and offerings to better meet the needs and desires of your target audience. Here are the 6 key reasons why parents might be drawn to your offerings:

1. Solve a Problem or Meet a Need: Many parents and caregivers are on the lookout for solutions to specific challenges they face in family life, whether it's dealing with behavioural issues, enhancing communication within the family, or finding effective ways to support their child's development. Your courses, coaching programs, digital downloads, and newsletters can offer valuable strategies and insights to address these concerns.

2. Desire for Improvement: There's a strong desire among parents and caregivers to improve and be the best they can be in their roles. This includes seeking out resources that can help...

*Trigger warning* 

I have lost two family members to suicide. I have over the years worked with children who have been suicidal. I have had friends who have told me they have been suicidal and I have lost friends to suicide. I have heard of friends who have lost family members to suicide and I have had clients who have lost parents to suicide. I have supported a teen client when he was suicidal and on top of a building ready to jump. (Read the chapter on "No building tall enough" in my book Secret Parent for the full story on this teen.)

Yes, sadly I have been faced with lots of suicide in my life AND I myself have been suicidal....

Perhaps you have been suicidal to?

I know what it is like and at the time, the feelings are real, dark and intense. I don't see myself as a weak person but there have been times in my life that I have felt hopeless.  That is why every year on World Suicide Prevention Day, 10 September, I find solace in knowing that despite losing so many...

I often get asked by novice coaches and students who do their Kids Life Coach Certification with me: "What is the biggest mistake you can make as a Kids Life Coach"

My answer always goes something like along the lines of...

"Imagine a world where every child's dream is nurtured into a possibility, where the sky's the limit, and encouragement fuels their journey. As a Kids Life Coach, you play a pivotal role in this magical process. Yet, even with the best efforts to inspire and motivate, there is a small pitfall that can stop a child from reaching their full potential."

Then they ask me what I mean and I start throwing two pertinent questions back at them.

Question 1:  "What is your dream?"

The answers range from building an orphanage to having a thriving coaching practice to doing what I love to earn an income so that my family can have better opportunities. In all my years of asking this questions, I have found that no two dreams are the same. Sometimes the dreams are small...

Children's perceptions of challenges can vary widely based on their developmental stage, personality, and past experiences. A a Kids Life Coach, acknowledging and validating these feelings is the cornerstone of the effective support you provide. Whether facing academic difficulties, social conflicts, or transitions such as moving to a new school, each challenge presents a unique learning opportunity. 

Having coached children for well over two decades, I have come to learn a lot about what excites them, how they think and why they behave in certain ways for different reasons. One of the super powers you will need to master as a Kids Life Coach is seeing the world through a child's eyes. Doing this will get the results you need quicker than you would if you keep your "adult problem solving hat" on. 

Children are beyond wise and when we look and see what others don't see and we listen and hear what other's don't hear, we are on our path to coaching a child towards being the...